Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-02

ahN tuNt tVt tutttA WIS " tNlllNt W thN
hands of the Russians.
From that moment, although quietly
confirming her nursing, she bent all her
faculties 10 the planning OF some scheme
hy which she might gain access 10 her
lovers place Of confinement. She fin NV
concluded TO assume the role OF n spy, aud
requested permission from the comm ,nd
ing officer 10 act In that capacity. lie a.
first refused, but, upon her pie ,diut
earnestly. he gave his consent, and sup
plied her with the papers necessary for her
passing the English lines. She disguised
lerstli and pretended sue was hali.wtted,
and ty that means got within the Russian
territory.
30 artfully did she play her mart that she
became quite favoritc with the soldiers.
who STYLED her Cray Peggy " and al
lowed her 10 do a. she pleased. u was
many weeks before she learned the town In
which her bttrotbed was prisoner. by
neat strs,agem she induced the keeper OF
the prison TO give her sccess TO the cells.
The jlilor thought her harmless creature
aud permitted her 10 chat a: Will with the
English captiyes She soon disclosed hef
identify 10 Der lover, ard together they
planned an escape. On a dark, stormy
night she acted more insane than
ever, and in one Of her fts snatched
the .keys from the belt OF the warden.
Raining down the stairs, she I'M
locked several Of the doors, including the
one behind which her betrOthed was con.
fined. In an instant he was out, and. hid
den IN a dark corner, he donned suit OF
Russian uniform furnished him by the
faithful girl. The iailer gave chase TO
Cray Peggy" and reganed the keys,
but not before her lover had walked up the
stairs aud out into the open AIR. " Peggy"
followed him, and they sped on through
the darkness until they attained the picket
line. Here the password, which had been
discovered by "Peggy," enabled them to
gam the open spIce between the rival
armies. An English coat concealed be-
meath her clothes was put on and tue Rus
san uniform discarded. In safety the lines
were passed ana the officer returned to his
command.
So well executed had been all Of Peggy's
plans, and SO anxious was her bethrOthed
To continue In service, that they both re-
manned In the army, she as spy and he as
an officer. They were married by the chap
lain, however. before entering again into
active duty. Many were the brave exploits
Of both husband and wife. and many were
The h0nOrS beaped upon tnen.
just before the conclusion OF the war the
husband died and Peggy was left alone.
Nearly heart broken, she accompanied the
remains TO England 10 find that her parents
wee dead and that there was nothing left
for her but neat little estate. The rccol-
lCciions that thronged around her were so
painful that she determined 10 come 10
America. She did so, aud settled in one OF
-.
eSpt cially " it'll the slaves. whom she taught.
she taught the slaves several times week,
with the permission Of the owners.
I he late war broke out soon after and the
old war fever cOursed through "Peggy's"
veins. She enlisted as a nurse in the Con-
iederaie army. But her ability as a spy
reachtd the ears OF one Of the officers, and
she agreed to undertake the dangerous
business. She disguised herself, and, as a
hali-witied woman, went at will through
the Confederate and Union armies. She
had great many adventures. Twice she
was held on suspicion. and once was placed
under guard until an examination could be
had. In some way she managed to destroy
the papers on her person and WAS released.
4 few evenings later she was attacked by
drunken picket and received sears that rem.
QerCd Ter face painful to look on for the
resi- of her life. In fact, il was largely be.
cause Of her repulslye cOuntenance that du.
ring the last twenty years she has Kept IN
absolute confinement.
Her faN Orite commander was General
Robert L. Lee, and he regarded her with
marked respect. Peggy Sald that once, at
General Lees personal request, she got as
far a. Washington and secured some I'm.
pOrtant information. Before she could get
back within the Confederate lines. however.
she w0S shut up in an insane asylum on the
belief that she was a lunatic. She escaped,
but too late 10 render the news OF any prac-
teal use. When she first came from Eng
land she invested most OF her estate in land
and property in the South. The war almost
impoverished her, but she managed TO re-
cover enough TO keep her fed and clothed
in the humbest way ever since.
Soon after the close OF the war she
came North, and lived at varIou, times in
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Boston.
I hen for some reason she went to Newark,
y. j.. where she resided unObServed until
sovefal years ago, when she came to this
city and took two plain rooms up town.
She was extremely cultured, and is under
stood 10 have correspondent with number
Of eminent men here and in England, but
under an assumed name. General Lee
wrote to her up to the time OF his death.
Peggy refused TO disclose her real name
to her few friends, but she evidently had
many distinguished relations in England.
She admitted dose relationship to Mrs.
Gladstone and the Duchess OF Cumberland.
Her knowledge OF the English stage and
It's lights was also extensive. She said she
had known all the leading actors and
actresses OF a quarter OF century ago in
London.
Unknown Peggy was not quite fifty
years old. and it was evident she had been
handsome in her younger days. She once
in strict confidence that her nus.
bands name was Edward Lewis, but never
revealed her maiden name nor the name OF
The e.fafc from which She i1noriieh